The Singapore Democratic Party has unveiled an impressive shadow health plan which will increase healthcare budget and personnel to cope with the rising health costs faced by Singaporeans at the population ages.

According SDP, healthcare under the PAP government has been one that has been profit motivated and its 3Ms (Medisave, MediShield, Medifund) approach to financing healthcare has not been effective in meeting the rising of cost healthcare.

During a SDP rally two days ago, SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Michelle Lee quoted figures from the World Bank 2011 report which indicates that healthcare facilities in Singapore rank poorly compared to elsewhere.

Singapore has fewer hospital beds and doctors per capita than China, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria and Cuba. As a percentage of total spending of healthcare, only the governments of these countries spent less than Singapore: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cameroon, Georgia, Guinea, Laos, Liberia, Myanmar, Sudan, Togo, Pakistan and Yemen.

SDP proposes increasing the funding of the health ministry to up to S$10 billion, or two-and-a-half times the current budget. The additional funds needed will be drawn from the reserves and diverted from the defence budget and will be spent on building hospitals and increasing hospital beds.

While the hospitals are being built, SDP using the void decks in HDB flats as allocated healthcare facilities. It will also increase the number of doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists as well as public health administrators.

HDBsaid

I am angered by the elitism that NSP displayed subtly in their views.
Miss Jeanette Chong of NSP syas that HDB should go back to basic, providing shelters and not for any other resons. So we (80% of Somgapore live in HDB)should not expect our asset to grow, but only to sit at side line and watch private property owner to prosper. It is outright elitist. This give rise to a class struggle. (I am just a normal voter)

Hopelessly sicksaid

This is practical medical care experiencs in different countries. You folks can make the judgemant call.

To see doctor for flu,
USA – US$120 but must make appointment one week in Advance
Thailand 250 to 500 baht normal GP ($10 to $25)
Singapore S$8 polyclinic (not including medication)
EU – Almost free , but 40% to 50% monthly paycheque deductedfor evey one.

My dad has just gone for heart bypass and other expensive heart implant in C wards. Total billing after deduction is about S$30000. Nonetheless has approached social welfare and he has gone through two months of hospitalisation and we have not fork out a single cent.
In USA, if you do not insurance offered by employer, one cannot get any treatment, zero period.
In Thailand national ealthcare plan, the rich is covered for all illness, but the poor, coverage is limited.